Bulk pre-measured single hand dispenser

Abstract

A store display, for one handed dispensing a measured volume of bulk items such as hard candy, has a storage compartment. The storage compartment has a sloping floor for gravity feeding a dispenser. A chute, attached to the separator and moveable with it, prevents dispensing in a low position, in which low position a separator allows bulk items to flow towards the chute. One hand holding a bag drives the assembly of chute and separator up to where the separator separates the measured volume of bulk items, and the chute communicates between the measured volume and an exit. The chute thereby permits the measured volume of bulk items to flow out the exit, and into the bag.

I claim:  
     
       1. An apparatus for dispensing a measured volume of bulk items, said apparatus comprising: 
       a housing;  
       said housing comprising:  
       a storage compartment as means for storing the bulk items, and  
       a means for dispensing the bulk items;  
       said storage compartment comprising a sloping floor means for gravity feeding the dispensing means;  
       said dispensing means comprising:  
       moveable means for separating the measured volume from the storage compartment;  
       chute means, attached to the separator means and moveable therewith, said chute means:  
       for preventing dispensing in a first position, in which first position the separator means allows bulk items to flow towards the chute means;  
       in a second position, in which second position the separator means separates,  
       said chute means for communicating between the measured volume and an exit; and  
       said chute means for thereby permitting the measured volume to flow out the exit.  
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to claim  1  further comprising ceiling means for protecting the separator means from a pressure generated by the bulk items which are located above the separator means, said ceiling means located above the separator means. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to claim  1  in which the sloping floor means comprises a slot means for deploying the separator means. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to claim  1  in which the chute means is further for one handed dispensing of the bulk item into a receptacle. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to claim  1  further comprising: 
       ceiling means for protecting the separator means from a pressure generated by the bulk items which are located above the separator means, said ceiling means located above the separator means;  
       in which the sloping floor means comprises a slot means for deploying the separator means;  
       in which the chute means is further for one handed dispensing of the bulk item into a receptacle.  
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to claim  5  in which: 
       the housing further comprises a front wall;  
       said front wall having, mounted thereon, a factice front compartment means for always displaying a full surface of bulk item.  
     
     
       7. Apparatus according to claim  6  in which the measured volume is defined by: 
       the sloping floor;  
       a chute guide wall depending from the ceiling;  
       a chute back wall;  
       a pair of side walls;  
       the separator means; and  
       at least in part by the ceiling.  
     
     
       8. A method of single-handedly dispensing a measured volume of bulk item, said method comprising the steps of: 
       loading the bulk item into a storage compartment;  
       said storage compartment communicating via a sloping floor with a measured volume and thereby gravity loading the bulk item into the measured volume;  
       said measured volume defined in part by a back wall of a dispensing chute;  
       said back wall comprising an opening normally located below the sloping floor;  
       single-handedly placing a receptacle adjacent and below an exit of the chute;  
       single-handedly driving the chute upward and thereby:  
       driving a separator through the bulk item to fully define the measured volume;  
       exposing the opening to the bulk item, thereby permitting the measured volume of the bulk item to flow  
       down the sloping floor,  
       through the opening,  
       through the chute,  
       out the exit, and  
       into the receptacle.